EDMONTON, Alberta – San Jose Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci might not be getting a video tribute upon his return to Rogers Place on Saturday. He was only with the Edmonton Oilers for three seasons, and his style does not necessarily lend itself to a highlight reel packed full of jaw-dropping sequences.
Still, Ceci figures to be recognized in some fashion. He was part of three straight playoff runs with the Oilers, including a trip to the Western Conference final in 2022 and the Stanley Cup Final last year.
Over 52 playoff games with Edmonton, Ceci, celebrating his 31st birthday Saturday, had 86 blocked shots and 81 hits and averaged 19:34 in ice time.
“We had had a lot of fun there,” said Ceci, who was traded by the Oilers to the Sharks in August. “Some good years, some good runs, so it’ll be cool going back. Definitely weird to be on the other side, but it’ll be a cool experience going back there.”
Interestingly enough, the Oilers could be interested in re-acquiring Ceci before the NHL trade deadline on March 7. But they might not be alone.
Ceci’s attributes, slot-blocking, penalty-killing, and playoff experience figure to make him a sought-after — if unsexy — defenseman for playoff-contending teams. Ceci is in the final year of a four-year, $13 million contract he signed in Edmonton in July 2021 and is a pending unrestricted free agent.
The Sharks value Ceci but must decide whether to try to keep him on a longer-term deal or continue to stockpile assets for their ongoing rebuild. He is one of seven players on their roster who are pending UFAs.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said players like Ceci are rare.
“Right shot defenseman, big, steady, good penalty killer that can kill plays. They’re extremely hard to find,” Warsofsky said. “I’m sure (general manager) Mike (Grier) will have a decision to make, and obviously, we’d love him back just because of what he means to our dressing room and what he means to our back end, the type of person he is.
“He’s a veteran guy that can continue to improve.”
Ceci developed strong bonds in Edmonton.
“You spend that much time together, especially in the playoffs, where you’re pretty much just together with the team,” Ceci said. “No one’s really out doing their own thing. Everyone’s just together, either in the hotel or dinners and stuff, so that’s when you get the closest and you’re going through something like that.”
Warsofsky has had the veteran blueliner on his top pair all season long. Going into Saturday, Ceci is second among all Sharks skaters in average time on ice (22:00) and is the team’s leading penalty killer and shot blocker.
“He’s a real stabilizer back there,” Warsofsky said, “A big right-shot defenseman and really good on the penalty kill. Gives you everything he’s got. He’s a real warrior when it comes to our D core back there. He plays through injuries … does the little details that people recognize. He’s giving us a big boost back there.”
VANECEK UPDATE: Warsofsky said a path forward for injured goalie Vitek Vanecek could be decided soon.
“We’re going to have probably a couple more days here to make a decision and go from there,” Warsofsky said.
Vanecek was struck in the face by a puck unexpectedly redirected into the team’s bench in the second period of Tuesday night’s game with the Winnipeg Jets.
Warsofsky said Friday that Vanecek’s prognosis would become better known after the veteran goalie visited with a specialist earlier this week. Vanecek had been considered week to week.
On Tuesday, Jets defenseman Colin Miller was carrying the puck out of his team’s zone early in the second period when he sent a cross-ice pass for defense partner Logan Stanley. Sharks forward William Eklund got his stick on the puck, deflecting it high into the air before Stanley, skating in front of the San Jose bench, tried to knock it down with his stick. Instead, the puck was redirected right into Vanecek’s face.
Vanecek was quickly tended to by a Sharks’ training staff member and was led back into the team’s dressing room. The Sharks announced early in the third period that Vanecek would not be available for the rest of the game.
The Sharks recalled goalie Yaroslav Askarov from the Barracuda on Wednesday morning.
Askarov will face the Oilers on Saturday as he makes his third start of the season for the Sharks. In two NHL games this year, against the St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings, Askarov is 1-0-1 with a .927 save percentage. In his first win for the Sharks on Nov. 25, Askarov stopped 22 of 24 shots as San Jose beat Los Angeles 7-2 at SAP Center.
Askarov and Alexander Georgiev will form the Sharks’ goalie tandem for the foreseeable future, with their next game on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. After Christmas, the Sharks host the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 27, the Calgary Flames on Dec. 28 and the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 31.
Now Askaroiv will have to face Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for the first time in his career.
“We’ve got to defend the middle of the ice,” Warsofsky said. “Obviously, they have two superstars over there and a really good team, so it’s going to be important that we don’t fuel them with some turnovers. And that doesn’t mean in the news zone. That means in the offensive zone, when we have the puck as well, so make them defend. And then when we’re in our own end, and we get a chance to break out pucks, we’ve got to make sure we execute.”